The game of golf is an immensely popular sporting activity played throughout the world. The premise of the game requires ball control for purposes of completing a course in as few strokes as possible. Technological advancements allow amateurs to drive a golf ball distances that match the professionals; however, unless an individual has developed the proper swing, the possibility of competitive scoring will be elusive. Even if an individual has a good round of golf, repeatability is not probable unless the individual has a proper posture for both a full swing and a putting swing allowing predictability and repeatability.
A proper golf swing will reward a player with an enhanced enjoyment of the game, providing greater accuracy and golf ball driving distance. Many known devices concentrate on enhancing the golf swing for distance or accuracy and entrust the golf player to acquire the proper posture to meet the golf swing. However, it is proposed that golf training begins with understanding the proper posture and the effective golf swing will follow. Known training devices typically include restrictive controls over the body movement. Since the golf swing is an individually varying movement, a proper posture provides the basis for further training. Once proper posture is obtained, a golf player can then develop swing muscle memory leading to consistent play and a lower golf score.
While golf instructors are aware of the need for proper posture, it is not possible for an instructor to stand next to the golf player during the golf player's swing. However, any movement of the body can quickly result in a bad technique that may continue to haunt the golf player. Unfortunately, the average golf player typically fails to understand the body movement and cannot afford to take lessons from a professional. The improperly trained golf player may figure out the importance of good posture, but more typically ends up with a posture that inhibits improvement of their game.
A fluid swing motion involves the back swing, down swing, impact, follow-through and finish. Without the proper posture the golf player will develop a hook or slice due to the unstable addressing of the ball and the swing, leading to loss of accuracy, poor distance, and most importantly, possible early back problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,285,056, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, is the Applicant's previous invention and discloses a stool-like structure that has a lower portion having a ground engaging end and a middle portion coupled to the lower portion in such a way as to be selectively positionable to a preselected angle with respect to the lower portion. The structure is used to train a player to swing a golf club, and specifically, to train a golf player to assume a correct stance and posture from the point of addressing the ball through the swing and follow-through. While the structure has proved to be very effective in one aspect of training, it fails to provide a means for positioning the golf player's back at a preferred angle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,663 discloses a swing training apparatus having a base with a strut extending upwardly therefrom, a support seat is mounted on the strut and rotational coupling allows rotation of the support seat. In this regard, the reference specifically discloses that the rotational coupling rotates in proportion to rotation of the golf player's hips, and is directed toward promoting hip rotation about a nearly vertical axis while maintaining a fixed location of the golf player's groin during the golf swing.
Many prior art devices fail to include any type of posture training wherein the training devices only provide muscle memory to a defined bad posture position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,680 discloses a swing training device for conditioning a golf player to keep their head down. This device employs a tethering cord having one end attached to a mouthpiece and a second end secured to the individual's clothing. The device is designed to teach the proper swinging of a club, wherein detachment of the cord from the individual's clothing indicates improper swing movement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,115 discloses a swing training device. A tee is mounted on a tee platform; a taut movable cord is then attached to the hip of a golf player standing on the platform which is further attached to a sensing unit. The sensing device provides an audio and visual response if the hips of the individual move beyond a predetermined position. The device sensing unit generates a forward, rearward and fore-strike position signal based upon optimum positioning.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,090 discloses a golf training device having a platform with a leg stand. The leg stand is adjustable and provides a rest between the knee and mid-thigh to avoid swaying during a golf swing. The stand does not allow for flexing of the waist which is necessary during a golf swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,645,198 discloses a golf swing training device configured to prevent lateral movement of a golf player's hips such as during the backswing, downswing and/or follow-through portions of the golf player's swing. The training device may comprise a seat assembly and a horizontal arm assembly. The seat assembly is configured to be mounted to the golf player's hips and defines opposing lateral seat sides. The horizontal arm assembly is coupled to the seat assembly and is configured to be pivotable about a seat pivot axis located adjacent one of the seat sides. The horizontal arm assembly is configured to prevent reverse pivoting of the seat assembly, such that reverse rotation of the golf player's hips is prevented.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,874 discloses a swing training device where a golf player executes a simulated golf swing by rotating a parabolic-shaped arm against a spring-loaded resistance mechanism which offers minimum resistance when the swing motion is in the proper plane.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,108 discloses a swing training device based upon a simulated golf club handle pivotally attached to an arm rotatably connected to a wall-mounted plate having adjustable inclination and adjustable frictional resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,430 discloses a swing training device for exercising the principal sets of muscles used to play golf against a resistance force, while moving the muscles to simulate the manner in which they are moved during an actual golf swing. A user manipulates a handle connected to a rotatable shaft extending axially from a hydraulic chamber which generates a progressively and smoothly increasing resistance torque as the rotational speed of the shaft increases.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,196 discloses a swing training system having a pelvic belt which wraps around the golf player's hips. The belt is pivotally connected at one end to a base which is mounted on a supporting surface. The belt guides the golf player's hip rotation during the backswing, downswing, and follow through.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,843,730 discloses a swing training device having a frame with a base and an upright frame portion. The apparatus includes a back support attached to the upright frame apparatus and includes a Velcro fastener portion. The apparatus further includes a belt attachment to the individual golf player having a fastener portion which is aligned for coupling to the back support fastener portion. The training apparatus is specifically adapted to maintain the golf player's head, feet, legs and rear side to provide proper stance in developing a proper golf swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,212 discloses a swing training device which is mountable on a supporting surface, such as the ground, and which includes a vertical support having middle and lower rotational assistance assemblies. Each of the assemblies is vertically adjustable in alignment with the golf player's pectoral (i.e., chest) and hip levels.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,561,960 discloses a golf positioning apparatus having a base plate with a pole or standard extending upwardly therefrom. An abutment is pivotally mounted on the pole and is adapted to limit certain movements of the golf player's body during a golf swing. More specifically, the reference restricts movement of the golf player's body to a vertical pivotal axis.
In view of the limitations of the above-cited devices, there is a need for a device and technique whereby a golf player is trained in proper posture positioning thereby maintaining a golf player in a position to practice a swing pattern allowing rotation and other movements without interference.